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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. can — a tin
  8. content — happy
  9. can — to be able to
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. rock — music
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. content — the amount
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. can — a tin
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bowl — to roll

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com